Spring sturcture



June 12, 1934. G, `G POWERS 1,963,052

SPRING STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 25, 1952 Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES PMEN'I,l Ormea 11 Claims.

My invention relates to spiral or helical and pertains to cushion-structures incorporating` l5 made of wire round in cross-section, and of suitable gauge for the body of the spring, the extended plane head formed by one or more convolutions of the wire is usually too wabbly crosswise the spring, thereby giving the springl cushion as a whole undesirable characteristics and properties. l

I have found that the advantages accruing from the employment of the enlargedspring heads may be availed of and the spring-structure l as a whole perform its functions quite satisfactorily, provided a new type of upright, spiral springs be used.

To the accomplishment of this desirable end and for the attainment of other advantageous l0 objects, the wire used in making the spring is oblong in cross-section in that one dimension of the wire cross-sectionv is longer than the other or complementary dimension.

Such a wire is coiled to form the mainV body l5 of the spiral-spring with the longer measure of its section arranged lengthwise the spring, but the wire before being coiled to form the at, convolute top or head of the spring is twisted -so that for such top the longer dimension of l0 the wire cross-section is transverse to the axis of the spring rather than parallel to it.

The result isthat, with a wire of'suitable size or gauge, the spring has adequate and proper strength and suitable elasticity lengthwise or up l5 and down, and the enlarged, coiled wire head or I To enable those acquainted with this art to understand the invention fully, both from structural and functional standpoints, in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification and to which reference should be made in connection with the following detailed descrip- 00 tion, present, preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated fragmentarily, and for simplicity, like reference numerals have been employed to designate the same parts in the several views.

,In this drawing:-

Figure 1 is a partial plan view of a springcushion incorporating this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the structure on line 2 2 of Figure 1; 70 Figure 3 is a small section through a portion of one spring on line 3-3 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a vertical section through one' spiral-spring of a modified construction.

Referring to the drawing, it will be noted that the spring-cushion embodies a number of rows -of erect spiral or helical springs 11, 11, each of which at its lower end is suitably mounted on a supporting, bent cross-bar 12 to which it is secured by its cooperation with an associated or companion wire 13 extended. through' aligned holes in the several parallel cross-bars.

As is shown, the lower terminal coil or con-V volution of each such upright spring rests on the top edge of the corresponding cross-bar 12 and ex- 85 tends beneath the correlated holding wire 13 on both sides of the bar.

This is the usual vandcustomary manner of mounting springs in cushions, and no novelty resides therein.

A bent angle-bar 14, or its equivalent formed of a plurality of angle-bars secured together, forms the supporting-frame of the spring-cushion, and the twisted, flat ends 15 of the bars 12 rest thereon and are secured thereto in any approved manner.

There is nothing new in this portion of the construction. Y

It will be noted that the cross-section of the wire from which the spring is made is oblong in shape and that the longer dimension of such cross-section is arranged lengthwise the axis of the spring, particular reference being made to the embodiment of the invention presented in Figures 1, 2, and 3.

The coiled top or head 10 of each spring 11 is larger than is usual and is formed by one or more convolutions of the wire in the same horizontal plane, but as the wire approaches such top, at the point 1s if; is bent or twisted through approximate- 1 10 ly 90, so that the longer dimension of the wire cross-section in the convolute head or top of the spring is horizontal or at right-angles to the vertical axis of the spring.

The heads or tops Aof such springs may be secured or fastened together by any appropriate means well known in the art, and, in this particular instance, I have shown shortintersecting, coil springs 17, 17 for this purpose.

A consideration of the illustration in the drawing will indicate that the springs of which the cushion is composed incorporate the valuable features of the invention hereinabove referred to, whereby the vertical elasticity or resiliency o1 each spring is suiiicient to do the work required, and the strength of the spring, of course, has relation to the cross-section of the wire of which it is formed.

Each upright spiral-spring of the structure is resisted as to its compression by the lengthwise direction of the 'wire cross-section of which it is made, and the same dimension is employed in the top or head of the spring to resist or preclude excessive lateral swaying or distortion.V

In order to assist in holding or maintaining the erect springs in proper and correct assembled relation and to prevent their tilting over, an intermediate section of each spring desirably has a few of its convolutions close together, and between such convolutions longitudinal and transverse wires 18, 19 extend with interiitting bends 21 at the axes of the springs to hold the wires in correct relation to one another.

The ends of such sustaining or bracing wires are fastened to the frame in any approved way either directly as shown for the wires 18, or

through short helical springs 22 as illustrated for the wires 19, or a combination of both means may be employed, as illustrated. l

There is sufficient friction between the coils of the vertically-arranged spiral-springs and these crossing wires to keep the 'springs from dislodgment or displacement.

This is an old way ofbracing or holding upright springs in cushions, but it, or its equivalent, is perhaps more necessary in the new cushion because the springs 11 not being made of round wire have a greater capacity for tipping side- Wise.

In some instances, instead of having the wire -bend or twist 16 positioned Just below the top coils forming the head of the spring, it may be preferable to have such twist lower down so as to give a part of the spring greater Vilexibilit lengthwise the axis of the spring.

Such an arrangement is depicted in' Figure 4 in which the spring 111 has the longer dimension of the cross-section of the wire disposed lengthwise oi' the axis of the spring for only a portion of the length of the latter, as indicated at 112, such dimension being crosswise the spring for the remainder of its length, as at 113, the wire of which the spring is formed being twisted between the two sections o1' the'spring to provide the result indicated.

Obviously, one section of the main body of such ,spring has substantially greater resistance to commercial scale and from wire of uniform crosssectional area, that is commercial spring wire such as commonly used in making round wire helical springs'. It will further be understood that the action of rolling the wire at differentpoints in order to atten it serves to elongate the wire somewhat and to reduce its cross-sectional area to the extent of about 10%. Therefore where I have in the claims limited the construction to a spring composed of wire of substantially uniform cross-sectional area from end to end f stantially uniform diameter, it is to be understood that they may be of dilerent shape, in` that they may be of hour-glass form or tapered,

as desired.

' The invention as deiined by the appended claims is not limited or restricted to the particular embodiment shown and described, and more or less changes may be incorporated therein without departure from the principles of the invention and without the loss of any of its material advantages.

In the following claims the term oblong has been used in its broadest sense as applying to a member longer than it is wide, regardless of the exact conformation of the wire cross-section.

Also, in the preceding description, the wire has been termed as twisted to change the angular vdisposition or arrangement of its cross-section, but the equivalent effect may be produced in other ways without actual twisting of the wire.

It should be noted that the terminal portion 23 of the wire which is bent or knotted around the adjacent section of the ilat wire is made roundl in cross-section to facilitate its bending in all directions, since it is more diiiicult to knot a flat wire around a wire of like shape.

I claim:

1. `In a spring-cushion, the combination of a plurality of upright spiral-springs, and means securing said springs together in assembled relation, at least some of said springs being each y formed of a coiled wire oblong in cross-section, said wire being -of substantially uniform crosssectional area from end to end, the main body of said last named springs having the major dimension of said wire cross-section lengthwise the axis of the spring, an end-coil of the spring having the major dimension of said wire cross-section transverse to the spring axis. e

2. In a spring-cushion, the combination of'a plurality of uprightspiral-springs each having a hat spiral top, and means securing said springs together in assembled relation, at least some of said springs being each formed of a coiled wire oblong in cross-section, said wire being of substantially uniform cross-sectional area from end to end, the main body of said last named springs having the major dimension of Asaid wire i cross-section lengthwise the axis of the spring,

said at spiral top of the spring having the major dimension of said wire cross-section transverse to the spring axis.

3. In a spring-cushion, the combination of a Y plurality of upright spiral-springs, and means securing said springs together in assembled relation, at least some of said springs being each formed of a coiled wire oblong in cross-section, said wire being of substantially uniform crosssectional area from end to end, a portion of said last named springs having the major dimension of said wire cross-section lengthwise the axisof the spring, the remaining portion of saidspring having the major dimension of said wire crosssection transverse to the spring axis.

4. In a spring-cushion, the combination of a plurality of upright spiral-springs each having a flat spiral top, and means securing said springs -togethervin assembled relation, at least some of said springs being each formed of a coiled wire oblong in cross-section, said wire being of substantially uniform cross-sectional area from end to end, a' portion of the main body of said last named springs having the major dimension of said wire cross-section lengthwise the axis of the spring, another portion of the main body of said spring having the major dimension of said wire cross-section transverse to the spring axis, said at spiral top of the spring having the major dimension of said wire cross-section transverse to the spring axis. i

5. A coiled wire spring, the cross-section of the wire forming the end convolution thereof being oblong, the terminal portion of such wire being substantially round in cross-section and knotted around the adjacent oblong section of the wire. 6. A spiral wire spring composed of wire of substantially uniform cross-sectional area from end to end adapted to be used in a cushion, the main body of the spring having a major dimension of the wire cross-section lengthwise the axis of the spring, an end coil of Athe spring having the major dimension of the wire cross-section transverse to the spring axis.

7. A spiral wire spring having a ilat spiral top and adapted to be used in a cushion, said spring being formed of a coiled wire of substantially uniform cross-sectional area from end to end oblong in cross-section, the main body of the spring having the major axis of said wire crosssecticn lengthwise the axis of the spring, the flat spiral top of the spring having the major dimension of the wire cross-section transverse to the spring axis.

8. A spiral wire spring composed of wire of substantially uniform cross-sectional area from endto end adapted to be used in a cushion, a portion at least of said wire being oblong in cross-section with the major dimension of said 'cross-section lengthwise the axis of the spring, the remaining portion of said oblong cross-section having its major'dimension transverse to the spring axis.

9. A spiral wire spring having a flat spiral top adapted to be used in a cushion and formed of a coiled Wire of substantially uniform crosssectional area from end to end at least a portion of which is oblong in cross-section, a part of the main body of said spring having the major dimension of said oblong cross-section lengthwise the axis of the spring, another portion of the main body of said spring having the major dimension of said oblong cross-'section transverse to the spring axis, the at spiral top of the spring having the major dimension of the oblong cross-l section transverse to the spring axis.

V10. A spiral wire spring having a flat spiral 100 top adapted to be used in a cushion and formed of a coiled wire of substantially uniform crosssectional are'a from'end to end the cross-section of which for a portion only of the length of the main body of the spring is oblong in cross-section 105 with the major dimension of such cross-section lengthwise the axis of the spring.

11. A spiral wire spring composed of wire of substantially uniform cross-sectional area from end to end adapted. to, be used in a cushion, the 110 main body of the spring having a major dimension of the wire cross-section lengthwise the axis of the spring, an enlarged end coil of the spring having the major dimension of the Wire crosssection transverse to the spring axis.

GEORGE G. POWERS. 

